Is Patriotism A Virtue?

The word "patriot" has as part of it's root the Latin word for "Father". Think of the prayer "Pater Nostra" for example. It's a bit of an older way of speaking, but we sometimes call our home country the "Fatherland". So someone who is a patriot is someone who has a love for their fatherland, or their home country. Patriotism describes one's love for their fatherland. When it comes to love of America, there is something in the culture which causes some people to pause or hesitate. Should we love America? 

Sometimes you see this in the current culture war surrounding the phrase "Make America Great Again". I often hear a leftist ask, "When was America ever great?" So, if I were to tell my leftist friends I was proud to be an American, or I love that I am an American, they may ask, "What is there to be proud of?" with their noses raised. 

There is plenty to be proud of. I can worship the Lord every Sunday without any considerable fear of being murdered for it. I can't say that of other countries. And that's a pretty big deal, being high up there in the hierarchy of the good life. But suppose I weren't so quick on my feet and couldn't think of any particular cause for my being proud to be an American. Would that then fail to justify my patriotism? No, it would not. I could have patriotism for my country even if I had nothing to point to. 

To see why, consider your own parents. Surely you love them. But why? Sure, you could say, "Because they fed me, raised me, nurtured me, etc." but then suppose that they hadn't done that. Could you still love them? It seems reasonable to say yes. I loved my son before he was born. I loved him from the moment he was conceived in his mothers womb. He did absolutely nothing for me. I had done absolutely nothing for him yet. There is nothing I can point to that we did that would justify our love for each other. Yet there it is. 

The reason the love exists is in virtue of the relationship we have with each other. The relation is that of Father-Son. I love him not because of anything he did, but in virtue of just being my son. And he loves me, not because I tickle him or throw him up in the air, or because I make sure he isn't choking on his food, but simply in virtue of me being his dad. And that's enough. Just being in that relation is cause enough for our love. 

So, take this principle and apply to patriotism. Can we say we love our country, even if there was nothing to point at? Yeah, it seems so. Can we love our country even if it's done horrible things? Yeah, my parents are sinners, I still love them. I am a wretched human and try not to let it affect my dadhood, but it does, and my boy still loves me. God still loves His own sinful children. So too then is it true of America and it's citizens, in virtue of that relationship.